diff --git a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/file.py b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/file.py
index 10cc3240ef..cd161cf63c 100644
--- a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/file.py
+++ b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/file.py
@@ -898,7 +898,7 @@ class file_mixin:
     def _determine_schema_identifier(
         schema: Optional[ifcopenshell.util.schema.IFC_SCHEMA] = None,
         schema_version: Optional[tuple[int, int, int, int]] = None,
-    ):
+    ) -> str:
         if schema_version:
             prefixes = ("IFC", "X", "_ADD", "_TC")
             schema = "".join("".join(map(str, t)) if t[1] else "" for t in zip(prefixes, schema_version))
diff --git a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/ifcopenshell_wrapper.pyi b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/ifcopenshell_wrapper.pyi
index 9b35f8b0cd..92dc5e6f01 100644
--- a/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/ifcopenshell_wrapper.pyi
+++ b/src/ifcopenshell-python/ifcopenshell/ifcopenshell_wrapper.pyi
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from typing import Any, Literal, Sequence, Union
 from typing_extensions import Self
 
 import ifcopenshell
+import ifcopenshell.util.schema
 from ifcopenshell.entity_instance import entity_instance_mixin
 from ifcopenshell.file import file_mixin
 
@@ -830,7 +831,12 @@ class face:
 
 class file(file_mixin):
     def fresh_id(self) -> int: ...
-    def __init__(self, *args): ...
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        schema: ifcopenshell.util.schema.IFC_SCHEMA | None = None,
+        schema_identifier: str | None = None,
+        schema_version: tuple[int, int, int, int] | None = None,
+    ): ...
     def _add(self, entity: entity_instance, id: int = -1) -> entity_instance: ...
     def add_type_ref(self, new_entity): ...
     def batch(self) -> None:
diff --git a/src/ifcwrap/IfcParseWrapper.i b/src/ifcwrap/IfcParseWrapper.i
index d80ef5c7d7..6688d2440b 100644
--- a/src/ifcwrap/IfcParseWrapper.i
+++ b/src/ifcwrap/IfcParseWrapper.i
@@ -38,6 +38,16 @@
 %ignore ifcopenshell::file::byref_excl_;
 %ignore ifcopenshell::file::types_to_bypass_loading_;
 
+// Replaces the raw multi-overload ctor with a friendlier keyword-based signature.
+%feature("shadow") ifcopenshell::file::file %{
+	def __init__(self, schema=None, schema_identifier=None, schema_version=None):
+		if schema_identifier is not None:
+			identifier = schema_identifier
+		else:
+			identifier = self._determine_schema_identifier(schema=schema, schema_version=schema_version)
+		$action(self, identifier)
+%}
+
 %ignore ifcopenshell::instance_streamer<ifcopenshell::file_reader<ifcopenshell::full_buffer_impl>>::read_instance;
 %ignore ifcopenshell::instance_streamer<ifcopenshell::file_reader<ifcopenshell::full_buffer_impl>>::steal_instances;
 
@@ -392,10 +402,6 @@ private:
 		header = property(header)
 		_registry = {}
 
-		_old_init = __init__
-		def __init__(self, schema=None, schema_identifier=None, schema_version=None):
-			self._old_init(schema_identifier if schema_identifier else self._determine_schema_identifier(schema=schema, schema_version=schema_version))
-    
 		def __setattr__(self, k, v):
 			object.__setattr__(self, k, v)
 			if k == 'this':